1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique to remotely control an external apparatus using a communication apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there is an increasing demand to remotely control an external apparatus, such as a digital camera, from a communication apparatus, such as a smartphone. As application software (hereinafter, application) for controlling digital cameras from smartphones and the like, there are applications provided by camera manufacturers for their digital cameras; however, there is a demand by a third party other than these camera manufacturers to develop camera applications different from the provided applications.
To meet this demand, in some cases, camera manufacturers provide software development kits (hereinafter, SDKs) that enable camera control (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-167269, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-013880).
Some of the applications for controlling an external apparatus from the aforementioned communication apparatus validate an additional function upon purchase of add-in software for a fee. In this case, the additional function is normally usable only by an application that has purchased the additional function. Furthermore, when there are applications developed by different developers, add-in software needs to be purchased separately.
In view of this, in a case where add-in software for a certain apparatus has been purchased, there is a demand to use the additional function also on a different application in another apparatus or the same apparatus.